Standup9ja: Nigeria Constitutes Panel For 12 New Federal Universities

Standup9ja: Nigeria Constitutes Panel For 12 New Federal Universities

The Federal Government of Nigeria has constituted a seven-man high-powered Committee to Audit the Utilisation of Grants for the take-off projects in the 12 new Federal Universities established between 2011 and 2013.

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, made this known in a statement signed by Dr Hussaini Adamu, Acting Permanent Secretary of the ministry on Wednesday in Abuja.

In the statement, the minister said the former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Olufemi Bamiro, will serve as Chairman, with Mr Kefas Magaji, as Secretary.

Other members of the Committee, according to the statement, include Mr S. L. Abubakar, Mr Mansur Ahmed, Mr Umar Aliyu, Mr Freddy Esenwa and Prof. Patrick Oshio.

It stated that the 12 New Universities are the Federal University, Lokoja; Federal University, Oye-Ekiti; Federal University, Ndufu-Alike; Federal University, Dutse; Federal University, Dutsin-Ma, and Federal University, Gusau.

Others are: Federal University, Kashere; Federal University, Gashua; Federal University, Birnin-Kebbi; Federal University, Lafia; Federal University, Otuoke, and Federal University, Wukari.

The statement said the terms of Reference for the Committee’s assignment are to determine the actual amount released to the NUC by TETFund as take-off grant for projects for the 12 universities.

Others are: to identify and confirm the number of contracts awarded, including contract sums under the take-off grants.

The committee will also ascertain that due process was followed in the award of contracts for the take-off projects, determine the amount paid on each project, including outstanding claims, if any, to date.

The statement said the committee would also ascertain the status of the various projects implemented using the take-off grants and make recommendations for any other issues relating to projects implementation in the 12 Universities.

The committee would be inaugurated on May 2, and would be expected to complete its assignment in 12 weeks.

The statement said that Vice Chancellors of the 12 universities, Executive Secretaries of the National Universities Commission and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, are expected to attend the committee’s inauguration.

Standup9ja: Buhari to Jonathan: Go to court if aggrieved

Standup9ja: Buhari to Jonathan: Go to court if aggrieved

President Muhammadu Buhari has asked his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, to go to court if he feels aggrieved by the ongoing anti-corruption war.

The president, in a statement on Wednesday by his spokesman Mr Femi Adesina, debunked the allegation by Jonathan that the Federal Government was harassing his family.

According to Adesina, Buhari harasses nobody but he merely allows the law to take its course.

He maintained that anybody without skeleton in his or her cupboard had nothing to fear about the bared fangs of the anti-corruption initiative, saying "Fear belongs only to those who have abused trust while in office."

"Anybody who feels aggrieved is free to approach the courts to seek redress or justice. President Buhari believes in the rule of law and that is why his campaign against corruption is anchored on that plank."

He said with regard to Buhari's anti-graft style which Jonathan "deprecates, given the scale of revelations and recoveries so far by the anti-corruption agencies, it is obvious that corruption had an uninhibited course during our recent past."

Adesina said time would give the verdict on whose style of fighting corruption ultimately yielded the most dividends.

He said for now, President Buhari was resolute and single-minded in the fact that his crusade against graft was not targeted at any individual or group.

The presidential spokesman said Buhari firmly believed that national interest must always be placed above personal interest no matter who is involved.

Adesina said the Presidency was constrained to respond to the banner headline story in a national newspaper of Wednesday entitled: "BUHARI'S GOVT HARASSING MY FAMILY, SAYS JONATHAN."

"The paper said former President Goodluck Jonathan made the allegation in a new book, "Against The Run of Play", written by the Chairman of ThisDay Editorial Board, Mr. Olusegun Adeniyi. The former president also reportedly disagreed with the style being used by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in fighting corruption."